Venue Capacity in Vancouver

September 16th, 2004

Filed under:
Music

Venue Capacity in Vancouver

I regularly enter into useless debates with my friends and family over the seating capacity of various concert venues around the city. In order to make a quick reference list for myself, here are some popular venues and the maximum people they hold:

BC Place: 59,687
GM Place: 20,004
Vancouver Coliseum: 16,123
Thunderbird Stadium: 15,000?
Agrodome: 3260
Queen Elizabeth Theatre: 2931
Orpheum: 2780
Centre: 1800
Malkin Bowl: 1500 (thanks, Geet)
Chan Centre: 1400
Vogue (thanks, Jen): 1150
Plaza of Nations: 1000
Commodore Ballroom: 900
Vancouver Playhouse: 668
Stanley Theatre: 650
BC Enterprise Hall: 500
Richards on Richards: 400

What have I missed?

Comments: 29 Responses so far

heather
September 16th, 2004
5:22 pm

oddly, i was discussing the meager difference in size between the orpheum and the queen e just yesterday. the queen e feels so much larger than the orpheum.

Jen
September 16th, 2004
6:31 pm

The Vogue is the only one I can think of that you’ve missed…

Geet
September 16th, 2004
8:39 pm

You could add Malkin Bowl, the Plaza of Nations and BC Enterprise hall. Thunderbird stadium gets used as a venue too. The Agrodome also comes to mind. None of these are really popular anymore.

Andrew
September 17th, 2004
10:20 am

wow Richards only holds 400!? I was there last night for Tegan and Sara, and it seemed like more. You should do a study on how long it takes to get your jacket form the coat check in different venues. Last night was ridiculous! Two people working and 400 people getting their coats!?!?

The Commodore is usually really fast.

- A

Jake
September 17th, 2004
10:49 am

Darren-

You forgot the Delta Center. You know, for the next time you’re in Salt Lake City and you want to catch a Jazz game.

Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone forgets.

The Delta Center seats 19,911.

Bill Stilwell
September 17th, 2004
11:32 am

The media club seats 150; dunno about the popularity level.

Derek
September 17th, 2004
1:53 pm

At the lower end of this scale, there are many venues in Greater Vancouver of the few-hundred size, but they’re usually privately booked. Hotel ballrooms and conference facilities, church halls, school auditoriums, banquet halls, other outdoor stadiums with grandstands such as Swangard and Coquitlam Town Centre, and so on. As someone who plays in a corporate-party cover band, I’ve been in a lot of these little known facilities. The number is surprising.

julie
September 17th, 2004
3:35 pm

brain dead moment so will have to give a location rather than a name, how about the theatre on commercial drive before 1st? Sonic Youth played there … used to be a popular spot for bands.

How about the Town Pump? Or is that no longer a hot spot?

Bill Stilwell
September 17th, 2004
7:20 pm

Town Pump is now Sonar.

Geet
September 18th, 2004
12:26 am

I thought of another venue. The Croation Cultural Centre is used fairly often.

julie
September 19th, 2004
3:07 am

bill no words to describe that link. Only a sound:

ewwww

forget i even mentioned it ;)

DaveO
May 19th, 2006
8:45 am

What ever happened to the “New” York Theater? I saw dozens of great punk/rock shows there in the late 80s. Great venue – all ages, good location for suburabites and cityfolk alike and balcony for chilling and open floor for uhhh … dancing.

And how about the Railway Club? I’ve never been there but seems like a interesting venue.

Tyrone
September 20th, 2007
10:04 am

I need to find a place in coquitlam for an all ages event up to 450 to 500 thank you “”

Jeremy
October 1st, 2007
1:01 pm

A few of your numbers are off, i just got off the phone with the Plaza of Nations and they hold 5000, not 1000, and the Commodore Ballroom only holds 275, not 900. they are however in partnership with “The Celler” with also holds 220.

Pierre
March 4th, 2008
1:00 pm

You forgot Deer Lake Park.. Their site says 10,000 but I think it’s higher.

Brian
March 9th, 2008
6:49 pm

Jeremy, I’m nearly positive that Commodore really is 900. It’s definitely not 250. I could fit 250 in my house… And it’s not a big house!

DK
May 14th, 2008
1:15 am

Commodore is closer to 900.
Croatian Cultural Centre has 2 or 3 different rooms with stages.
I saw In Flames in the large one (I’d say about 1,100 people) and then All That Remains in the smaller one (roughly 500 people).
Also, If you include the entire part of the field…Thunderbird Stadium holds roughly about 35,000 for Warped Tour every year.

DK
May 14th, 2008
1:17 am

Oh yeah, forgot to add…
GM Place is 18,603 for NHL games.
When they turn it into the Pontiac Centre it’s more or less 12,000.
And then if they use as much as possible without going behind the stage…then maybe 20,000.

Chris
May 14th, 2008
10:17 pm

The Commodore’s official capacity is 990, but in reality it’s actually closer to 1100. Same for Richards: 450 officially, but I’ve seen more than 600 squeezed in there.

Some other venues: Plush, St. James Hall, the VECC, the Pit at UBC, Pat’s Pub, the Royal Unicorn and St. Andrews-Wellesley (sp?).

Also, there is no way that 35,000 people ever attended the Warped Tour in Vancouver. Perhaps cumulatively over two or three years, but never at once.